Child of nightmares
As I lay there, apparently asleep, something jolted me awake, like jumper cables on a car. I could feel my sword digging into my waist. It was pitch-black, but I could see just fine. Torches around me glowed a necrotic purple, and a woman stood over me. I didn't know who she was, but something nagged at the back of my mind. "Go, my little champion." she said. "Bring honor to our name." "I will, to the best of my abilities." I responded subconsciously. What was I doing? The woman smiled, then waved her hand. "Leave." I got to my feet, and then bolted at the nearest shadow. I flew through it, feeling like my face was trying to be torn away. Finally, I stumbled onto a green hill. I was so tired, I didn't realize my surroundings. All I knew was that I had to get to the top of the hill. I stumbled drunkenly, reaching the top, then fell face-first onto the soft green grass. I heard footsteps, and moments later, someone flipped me over. I didn't open my eyes. The person leaned close to me, inspecting me like a doctor. "He's fine," a voice said. "Just needs some nectar." Some more steps, along with slight clanking. I could see from a distance a girl with long auburn hair, golden armor, and a long purple cloak looking at me. Seemed harmless, until I saw the sword at her side. My eyes snapped open, making contact with hers. "Back up!" the same person yelled, but I was already in motion. One of my legs shot out, sweeping the girl's legs from under her, and I pounced like a leucrota. My sword, Whiplash, snapped into my hand, and I aimed it right down her throat. I could feel my wings spreading free, keeping the air around me a deathly cool. Wisely, she held still, not making a sound. I liked her for that. Instead of screaming and thrashing, she held completely still. Experienced. "Where am I?" I demanded. If I had to, I would skewer this girl to get answers. I would be taking no chances. A centaur clopped forward. My eyes flicked to him, devouring every little detail. No weapons, only his hands. He wore a brown tweed jacket, a bit frayed, and a blue shirt. "Now there, demigod. Let's just--" "ANSWER ME!" I yelled, making him flinch. "--Half-Blood," I heard the girl I had pinned say. "What?" "You're in... Camp... Half-Blood." She choked out. Chapter 2 That name. Something about it tickled my memory. I got off the girl, and she gasped, rubbing her neck. I looked at the centaur, and next to him were two other girls. One had storm-gray eyes, with curly blonde hair, the other ugly. She wore blood-red armor, and had stringy brown hair and a punk look on her face. An Ares demigod. "Sorry for jumping you," I apologized to the girl in golden armor. I don't know why, but she seemed different. She looked at me warily, but said nothing. "Who are you?" the Ares kid asked, though she said it like it was a demand. "Nilo." I said. Automatically, my brain translated it to people's victory. "Well, Nilo," the centaur said, hesitantly coming forward, "let's get you to your cabin for now." As I started off with the blonde girl and the centaur, I looked back long enough to see the golden girl shadow-travel into the darkness with a Hades demigod. Where was she going? Finally, we got to a cabin with the caduceus crowning the entrance, and dozens of campers wandering around inside. "Go on inside, Nilo." The centaur, who the blonde girl had identified as Chiron, patted me on the back, and quickly recoiled. Good for him. I hate being touched. I folded my wings behind me, making them as small as possible. Immediately, all the campers spotted me, and froze. Some backed away to make room for me. As I walked in, I could feel the warmth and light retreating from the room, as if Aether himself were afraid. Chiron and the girl walked away, leaving me with a bunch of campers who were too scared to even say hello to me. Cowards. "Nice to meet you all," I said to the room of campers. No response. You know what? Screw these guys. I walked out of the cabin, and no-one even tried to stop me. I took it upon myself to take a tour of the camp, and was impressed. There were over twenty cabins, and I looked at and in every single one. First up was Zeus. It was empty, but actually looked well-kept, like someone used to stay there. In the corner, a statue of Zeus sat scowling, like someone took a piss in his nectar. Probably deserved it. Next was Hera. This cabin was covered in dust, and it probably needed to stay that way. Nothing special. After that was Poseidon. The interior was actually a pretty blue, with a saltwater fountain bubbling happily in the corner. All the bunks were made, and it looked like someone had cleaned recently. Finally, Hades. To be honest, this one was the coolest. Greek Fire torches burned menacingly on the outside, and the cabin was made of polished obsidian. I cupped my hand and dipped it in one of the torches, and the flame came away in my hand. I felt no pain. Inside were rows of bunks shaped like coffins, with velvety cushions and blankets. It was dark, but to me it seemed like normal day. I put the fire back in its torch, viewing the rest of the cabins, though a lot of the campers did a double-take when they saw me. Probably my wings. I had no intention of hiding them. Finally, I got down to the sparring arena, where rows of campers were sword-fighting, chariot racing, and sprinting. Cool. As I walked into the arena, a massive hellhound the size of a semi-truck ran over, very interested in me. "Hi girl!" I called, and she bounded right up to me, her tail wagging like a tank barrel. "WOOF!" She barked, rattling the place, and as I was petting her, I noticed a nametag. It read Mrs. O' Leary. Whoever made her necklace had some serious skill, because it was quality workmanship. "Hey, new kid!" A camper shouted. He had long brown hair, his bangs hanging around his eyes. He had skin the color of his sword the size of Mrs. O' Leary's tail. He beckoned me over. "You're the new demigod around here, aren't you? Annabeth and Chiron picked you up at the hilltop, near Hestia's Hearth." "Yep, that's me." I replied. Finally, someone who saw me as just a potential friend, and not just a piece of schist. "I'm Terrence. Terrence Fisher." He extended a hand, which was about the size of one of those claws on a claw game. I grasped it firmly, shaking it with enough vigor to let him know it was genuine. "Nilo." I replied. "So, newbie, you up for a duel?" Terrence asked, hefting his sword. Adrenaline immediately coursed through me, pumping a sour taste in my mouth. "I never thought anyone would ask." Whiplash snapped into my hand, and Terrence wavered for a split-second, before rolling his shoulders and charging at me. I instinctively dodged to the side, and he swung at me with enough force to cut off a rhino horn. I jumped back, but Whiplash was already snaking through the air, striking him against his shoulder armor. Terrence's face widened, but he was experienced. He parried the next attack, and ducked inside my guard, his sword shooting towards me like an oversized arrow. I wasn't wearing armor, but Terrence stopped his sword quick enough to knock the wind out of me, throwing me to the ground. Something inside of me snapped, and I flung my hand out. A bolt of pure raw darkness fired from it, encasing Terrence in a globe of darkness. I could hear him curse blindly, and I took my opportunity, sprinting in. Terrence heard me coming long enough to fling his sword in front of him, but Whiplash wrapped itself around his blade, and then retracting fast enough to rip the weapon from his grasp. The darkness dispelled, and I had my sword level in between his eyes. "Checkmate," I said slyly, and Terrence stood wide-eyed. Chapter 3 "By the gods, Nilo, what did you just do? I've seen powers of all types of demigods, but never something like that!" "To be honest, something just unwound inside of me, like a spring being relieved of tension." "Well, I'll be sure to let everyone else know what you can do," Terrence said with a grin. "Yo, Terrence!" A couple other boys similar to him ran over, smiling. "Whatcha doin'?" one asked, then noticed me. "Oh, hey there, shortstack! Didn't notice you there!" I shrugged. "Most people don't." "So, what's your name, buddy?" The other asked. "Nilo," I told him, and he broke into a smile. "Nilo, huh? Mind if I call you Nick?" "You can call me Zeus for all I know." I said, and in the distance, thunder rumbled. "All right then, Nick! I'm Max, and this guy here is Carson." Carson waved good-naturedly. Max had bright-red hair shaved crew-cut, with a Milky Way of freckles across his face and balloon-shaped muscles. Carson had perky chocolate hair, with a fashionable tan and a slim nose. His fingers were just flat-out muscle, and his hands were calloused from working with metal all day. "Are you Hephaestus children?" I asked. "Loud and proud." Terrence said, leaning on Carson. "Do you mind if I take a look at your sword?" Max asked, holding out a hand. Whiplash unwound from my waist, and I put it in his hand. Max whistled softly, inspecting it from every angle. He popped it out, and Whiplash dropped like a wet noodle. "Dang, Nikki," he began, then looked at Carson and Terrence, who all exchanged looks of excitement. "We've never even seen a sword like this. It's a great idea. The idea of putting a rope in the center of the sword and then splitting the blade would allow the average length to actually extend, thus having greater reach." Off in the distance, a horn sounded, and all the campers walked towards it like moths drawn to a flame. "That's the horn for dinner. Come on, Nilo, let's go." Terrence clasped my shoulder, and all of us jogged off. Chapter 4 The dining pavilion was actually pretty, well, pretty. there were tables for just about every cabin, and everyone was talking or laughing, and Ares table was busy playing Mercy and arm-wrestling. Hecate cabin were just blatantly using magic on one another, pulling off fingers and noses. Funny. I went and sat back down at Hermes cabin, and immediately people scooted away from me. Alright, fine. I leaned over and placed my hand on the bench. A shadow seeped from it, and quickly invaded the seat. I tried not to smile as a bunch of campers suddenly started fidgeting and squirming, some complaining about how cold there butts were. Chiron cantered up, pounding his hoof against the marble. "Campers! Your attention, please!" Once everyone quieted down, he started. "I have a few announcements! First, we will be having a capture-the-flag match tomorrow morning, so be ready!" Ares cabin cheered uglily, pounding the table and high-fiving. "Second! In a few days, the Hunters of Artemis will be staying here for several days before setting off again! Please be welcoming and kind!" All of the dining pavilion groaned outwardly, apparently having bad blood. "Third!" Chiron announced. "We have a new demigod! Nilo, would you please stand up?" I sheepishly stood up, and waved to everyone, and Aphrodite's table giggled and pointed, some waving back all cute. I swore on the River Styx never to fall in love. "Hello, everybody. I'm Nilo, and I got here just this afternoon." I quickly sat back down, Terrence, Max and Carson grinning and giving me thumbs-up. "Without further delay, let's eat!" Chiron spread his hands, and wood nymphs began whisking out platters of food, ranging from steak to soup. I walked over in line, and heaped all kinds of meat on my plate, ham, bacon, steak, beef, I loved it all. I then walked over to the fire, which was slightly bigger than a bathtub, and found a massive slice of brisket. Scraping it into the fire, I watched momentarily sink into the flames, yielding no smoke. Good. Whoever my godly parent was, I knew they weren't sitting up in polished thrones of gold and silver, getting fat off of prayers and offerings. They didn't deserve it. My parent did, because I knew they should have it. I trudged back to cabin elevens table, the shadow still there, sitting like a piece of mold, and there it would stay until someone actually had the courage to say hello. Without waiting, I dove in to my spoils, devouring anything on my plate unlucky enough to be in the way of my mouth. Soon, nothing was left but a pile of bones, like after a war. I excused myself from the pavilion, no-one attempting to stop me. What I didn't notice was Chiron slipping away after me. Chapter 5 Soon, the woods loomed before me, and I decided to take a walk inside. Only a minute later, I spotted someone sitting up against one of the taller tree branches, casually twirling a stick in between his fingers. "I haven't seen you before. What's your name?" the kid leaned down, looking at me. He wore a white collared shirt, the sleeves rolled around his elbows. Atop his head rested a short top hat, an orange stripe wrapped around it. Brown hair poked out from under it. "I'm Nilo. You?" "Trick." the boy responded, reaching down a hand. I took it, and gave a half-hearted shake. "My sister's Treat." Trick said, looking to the base of the tree. A young girl melted out of the shadows. She wore a witches hat, with long orange and black striped stockings, curled shoes, and a purple pleated skirt. Her hair similar was similar to Annabeth's. "Where are you headed, Nilo?" Treat asked, studying me intently. "Just taking a stroll." "Well, watch for monsters." "Will do." I waved a goodbye to the twins, laughing inside about their names. Clever. I liked these woods. They were dark, filled with creepy noises, and shadows everywhere. My ultimate advantage. Off in the distance, in a small clearing, I spotted what looked like a miniature house. As I got closer, it actually was, and Annabeth's name was scrawled at the base. It was overgrown with weeds, vines snaking around the roof, and bushes strangling the base. I smirked to myself. I had found my ideal cabin. I looked inside, and it was actually pretty nice if you looked around the overgrowth. It was about what you would expect a miniature house to be. I stepped out of it, and gently rested my hand on the side of the outcast thing, and concentrated hard, closing my eyes. The overgrowth wilted off and away, turning black and crumbling to ash. The house itself went into a massive change. The paint fell away in flakes, revealing patches of ebony wall. Two sinister torches rose from either side of the door, surrounded by an array of sized spikes. The flames were a deathly purple. The door turned black as well, revealing no handle whatsoever, just a thick shadow. The roof arced sharply, and small gate-like walls appeared. Finally, two pillars with pyramid tips revealed themselves, rising to Olympus. I didn't see these things as much as I felt them, but I was proud of my handiwork. It was better than those Hermes jerks. I wanted my own spot, so I made it. A set of steps fell into place at my feet, and I climbed up and into the interior of the once-dead cabin module. Inside, more torches blazed with fire, the sparks adding to the night sky that shimmered on the roof. Thick black fog rolled along the floor, trying to wrap around my ankles. In the corner, an empty armor stand sat ready to use, so I put Whiplash in it's scabbard. Home sweet home, I thought. I found a bunkbed with obsidian sheets and a Styx-colored pillow, admiring my work. It's perfect. When I stepped outside, Chiron was inspecting my fortress from every angle. "You did this?" He asked, the interest in his voice so thick I could've hit it. I shrugged. "Yeah." "How, exactly?" "Dunno." I shrugged again. "I just kind of put my hand to it, and I created my fortress." Chiron leaned forward, a strange glint in his eyes. "As far as I know, no demigod is able to just create something out of something else. Are you sure you don't know who your godly parent is?" Chapter 6 The next day, I ran out of the forest, and down to Hephaestus cabin. Peeking inside, I saw three familiar people hunched over smoldering forges. Terrence, Max, and Carson. "Hey, guys!" I called, and Terrence turned his head. When he saw me, he scooped up an oversized scabbard and jogged outside. Max and Carson weren't far behind. "So, Nikki," Max flashed me a smile. 'You ready to try out some different things today?" "I was ready ten minutes ago." I smiled back, and off we went. First, we tried the archery range. I could use the bow pretty good, but just about took out Carson when I accidentally fired an arrow and it ricocheted off a nearby wall. "Huh." Terrence scratched his head, trying to figure out what happened. "Let's try running. You look like you're a sprinter." Max said. No luck. The wood nymphs were unbelievably fast, and I had only gotten maybe two yards when they lapped me. The climbing wall was by far one of my favorites. All four of us went at the same time, and I actually made it to the top, though my wings were nearly burnt to a crisp when a flow of lava just about barbecued my backside. Finally, we went to familiar territory. The arena. This time, I decided to fight Terrence, Max, and Carson at the same time. It went well, at first, with me disabling Terrence, but Max and Carson thrashed me before I could even turn around.